Iranian Paranoia: Is It Justified?
Earlier this summer, protests spilled onto the streets of Tehran in the days following Iran’s June 12 presidential elections. At the time, some voices inside Iran’s halls of power alleged that outside influence was to blame for the seemingly spontaneous uprisings. The Iranian intelligence chief claimed Western and “Zionist” forces were somehow behind it all. Crazy talk? The Takeaway talks with Stephen Kinzer, author of All the Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror who explains that Iran’s history with the outside world has left them justifiably paranoid of foreign influence.
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